Page:Dapples of the Circus (1943).pdf/138

 mired wagon began slowly crawling out of the mud. Like ponderous machines, the great beasts moved forward, carrying the wagon to safety.

Once it was fairly off the lot, the horses were again hitched to it and the load went on its way in safety. But the faithful elephants went back for another mired wagon.

Everything seemed to go badly that night. The canvas was hard to handle. It would not roll up readily, and it was also very heavy.

One of the smaller tents had collapsed that afternoon, deluging the inmates with hogsheads of water that had collected on its top. This had precipitated a merry row, and several people had promised to sue the circus, to which the manager had smilingly assured them that he would pay for their soiled linen, but that he thought they really needed a good bath.

But amid all this confusion and seemingly hopeless plight towered the tall